Intestinal lymphangiectasia associated with angiofollicular lymph node hyperplasia (Castleman's disease).

Abstract

A patient presenting with predominantly gastrointestinal symptoms and a history of myocardial infarction was found to have ascites, hepatosplenomegaly, para-aortic lymphadenopathy, thrombocytosis, and a paraproteinaemia. A jejunal biopsy specimen showed lymphangiectasia and histology of the spleen and lymph nodes showed angiofollicular hyperplasia or Castleman's disease of the hyaline vascular type. This association has not previously been described and, moreover, systemic symptoms are unusual in this variant of Castleman's disease.